


The future isn't set in stone

by siren_of_the_ocean



Series: Tim Drake AU's [33]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Teen Titans - All Media Types
Genre: BAMF Tim Drake, Evil future Tim Drake, Gen, Good Friend Kon-El | Conner Kent, Secrets, Tim Drake Needs a Hug, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 18:20:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29354859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siren_of_the_ocean/pseuds/siren_of_the_ocean
Summary: The Titans have faced their evil future selves before. But this time, it's just the evil future version of Tim Drake. And the whole Batfamily is watching.
Relationships: Bart Allen & Tim Drake, Bart Allen & Tim Drake & Kon-El | Conner Kent & Cassie Sandsmark, Cassandra Cain & Tim Drake, Tim Drake & Kon-El | Conner Kent
Series: Tim Drake AU's [33]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1853161
Comments: 10
Kudos: 254





	The future isn't set in stone

It’s the Titans that alert them first. An emergency distress signal from the tower blaring to life in the batcave. 

Tim is, of course, the first to react, spinning the chair back into position by the batcomputer and starting to type frantically. Eyes focused on the screen as the cameras in Titans tower load.  
But when he sees what’s happening, Tim freezes, stiffening completely as he watches some form of Batman terrorise the Titans. 

Bruce winces at the sound of a gunshot and Cass’ eyes widen with realisation.  
Because only she can see it.  
The way the Batman’s shoulders are tight with tension just like Tim’s. The way he walks, soft and slow, distributing any weight to the outside. The way he twirls the guns almost like Tim does with his staff.  
There’s no denying it. Not to her. That is Tim. 

But it isn’t their Tim. Their Tim is right in front of them, watching the carnage along with them, with tense shoulders and tense jaw.  
“Bart, I need you to come pick me up. Now” Tim demands, his voice spilling out of the Batcomputer’s speakers as it’s spoken from. Seconds later, Bart is gone from camera view, the Batman on screen smirking as he Lets Bart pass by him to fetch Tim.  
Lets. Because he could have stopped Bart. But he didn’t.  
He wants Tim there. 

And within seconds, Tim is. Cass can see him standing face to face with this Batman, chin lifted to look him in the eyes before the Batman laughs and levels a gun at Tim’s chest. 

From there, it rapidly devolves into another fight.  
Even with all the Titans fighting, the Batman is strong, stronger than them. And this Barman knows their weaknesses.  
Cass can see the glint of Kryptonite on his suit, an eery green glow around his chest and right fist, weakening Kon the longer he fights. He uses Cassie’s strength to her detriment, redirecting her and using her as an obstacle for her other teammates, directing her and Bart at each other at superspeed before they can stop themselves. Bart is easily used as an obstacle, redirected and limited by the way he needs to run.  
The only one who stands a fair chance is Tim.

But this Batman is stronger, bigger. Meaner.  
Shooting at Tim whenever he gets the chance, leaving dents in Tim’s armour with blows that leave Tim panting for breath.  
There’s nothing that Cass can do. Nothing any of the Bats can do, really. They won’t make it to the Tower within a 10 minute time. Not even with the Batplane. And after 10 minutes, they’ll be too late. 

“Clark” Cass calls instead, speaking loudly but not yelling. She knows that Clark will hear her. 

“Black Bat just called for Superman” Kon says on screen, flinching back as the Batman lands another hit to his shoulder that forces him backwards. Tim quickly drops in to help his friend as he says “Call him off. He won’t be of any help with the Kryptonite in the room. Plus, I have no idea how Evil Batman is going to react to Superman’s presence. He might just outright kill him”. 

Clark arrives at the cave looking panicked and forlorn, most likely already having heard exactly what Tim said. Instead of fighting at Titans Tower, he is instead now left to watch with the Bats as the Titans seem to lose the fight.  
“You know, I find it quite funny. How easy you think erasing a timeline is” the Batman laughs, swiping a gun under Bart’s knees and using that momentum to throw him at Cassie. Kon is already basically down for the count, panting in a corner as his skin takes on a greenish tinge from the Kryptonite exposure.  
“Yeah well. I was kind of hoping we’d erased you all from ever existing” Tim says back with a snap, swiping at the Batman, using the same move Batman had just used on Bart.  
“It isn’t that easy, you know that. Destiny calls” the Batman says eerily and Cass can’t help the shiver that goes down her spine with that. 

“No. You are not my destiny. And you never will be” Tim says back fiercely. 

Everyone in the cave freezes. They all, excluding Cass, had assumed that this was another form of Bruce. An evil Batman.  
But Tim had just said….  
And that meant….

The Batman on screen isn’t Bruce. It’s Tim. 

“I refuse to be like you” Tim spits, even as the Batman levels a gun at his chest again.  
“You’ll see one day. I promise you will” the Batman says back before pulling the trigger.

A bullet hits Tim’s chest plate again, causing yet another dent as Tim is knocked back, wheezing for air as the Batman moves closer, standing over Tim as his teammates struggle to get up behind him.  
“Just accept it. I am you and you are me. We are the same person.  
You know as well as I do that throwing criminals into Arkham isn’t a long-term solution. They escape. They always do. And when they escape, they leave a trail of bodies. Every time” the Batman says, still looming over Tim with a gun in hand. 

“No. You’re wrong. Ivy’s gotten better. As has Harley. Selina is just a thief, she doesn’t hurt people. Even Riddler has gotten more harmless as time goes on” Tim declares, still panting for breath as the Batman presses a boot into his chest.  
“No, Tim. You’re wrong. How many people have died in the last year due to Joker gas? How many have killed another innocent because of fear gas? How many families have the gangs kicked out of their homes to freeze in the winter? Hm? How many people have died because you can’t make the right choice?” 

Behind her, Cass can feel Red Hood freeze, hearing his sentiment echoed in one form of Tim Drake. A terrifying form. 

“No. I don’t get to do that. I am not judge, jury and executioner. And because of you, I will never allow myself to be” Tim says with a bloody smile before he clasps a hand onto the Batman’s ankle.  
There’s an electrical discharge from something Cass can’t see and by the time it dissipates, both Tims are unconscious on the floor. 

The Batman on screen flickers, flickers again and then disappears as he seems to fade. Either back to his own time or from reality in general. 

“Bring here” Cass demands over the speaker system as Cassie, Kon and Bart pick themselves up from the floor.  
Cassie looks at Kon, as if asking for consensus. Gets a nod from Kon, another nod from Bart and then sighs. “We will be there shortly” is all she says before the cameras go dark. 

The wait is silent. Unsure. 

“No interrogation until Tim is treated” is the first thing they hear, as Kon drops an injured Tim onto the bed in the med bay. The others hovering alongside him at their friend’s bedside.  
“I quite agree, Mr. Kent” Alfred voices as he steps forward, already assessing Tim’s condition before he hums “It seems like his ribs are unbroken. And the bruising is quite deep but with no internal damage. The electrical shock must have rendered him unconscious. But that should not be a problem” Alfred explains. 

Almost as if having awaited Alfred’s approval, Tim then begins to stir, groaning as he opens one eye, then the next. “What hit me?” Tim asks groggily before Kon says “Your evil future self” and then Tim starts to groan in complaint.  
“Not me. Never will be” he says clearly. 

Bruce obviously wants to question that. Wants to interrogate Tim about what just happened. But is glared into submission by Alfred, instead. 

Even as Tim denies it, Cass can see the similarities. The way they move. The shared strikes and movements. The way they could almost read each other’s minds.  
Tim may not be the Batman.  
But he could be. 

Cass can see that clearly. 

“Faith in little brother. Little brother good” is all she says, not sure who she’s trying to convince, Tim or herself.


End file.
